Optimum Soil for Tomatoes

Compost is one of the best ways to improve the quality of your soil. Throw kitchen waste and garden waste in a pile. Add some red worms to process the waste, cover with a porous cloth, and you’ll have compost to lay on top of your soil. Compost is not the same thing as fertilizer. Fertilizer adds the much needed nutrients to your soil.

Your tomato quality starts with soil. A good soil will yield red tomato fruit with vitamin A and lycopene. The important ingredients for a good soil are potassium, calcium, magnesium, organic matter and 6.4 pH of the soil. When the soil pH is 6.7 you’ll notice a yellowing in your tomato's color. The best soil fertilizer to use is a 5-3-3 organic fertilizer. For 10 dollars you can purchase a soil test kit. You’ll get right away a soil analysis without having to pay for expensive lab fees. You can order soil test kits at CleanAirGardening.com. Your order will include two test kits for 10 dollars.

Professional gardeners add a handful of rock phosphate two times during tomato season. The first time it is added is when the tomato plant is one foot tall. The second time it is added is when the tomato plant has flowers. The area where you plant your tomato must have good drainage. If the soil is too soggy create a raised bed. As an added bonus, you’ll get less back strain when you raise the level of the soil.